This Article is From Mar 05, 2014

Gujarat police stops Arvind Kejriwal briefly, provoking angry charges

Gujarat police stops Arvind Kejriwal briefly, provoking angry charges

Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejrival being detained at Radhanpur, Gujarat on Wednesday.

Ahmedabad: Arvind Kejriwal used his brief detention at a police station in Gujarat to allege payback for his four-day road show in the state. Mr Kejriwal, a former tax inspector, has said he will audit the development of Narendra Modi's homestead.

"We are exposing all claims of development and clean governance,"said the 45-year-old, who resigned last month after a two-month stint as Delhi's Chief Minister.

Officials said Mr Kejriwal was detained for failing to adhere to an election code of conduct that requires prior police permission for a rally or procession.

The code of conduct applies starting today because elections have been called -voting starts on April 7; results will be declared on May 16.

Mr Modi, 65, is the BJP's candidate for prime minister and has centre-pieced the economic growth of Gujarat in his campaign. AAP has suggested that Mr Kejriwal will run against him if he runs for parliament from anywhere outside of Gujarat. (Read more)

Mr Kejriwal was taken to a police station in the western town of Radhanpur, about 170 kms from Ahmedabad.   


In a village this morning, Mr Kejriwal sat under a tree with a crowd of about 200 villagers, many of them signalling their allegiance to his party by wearing its trademark white cap. "If you are unhappy with Modi, why did you vote for him?" Mr Kejriwal asked after they complained that schools and hospitals are sub-standard and that bribes are routine in government departments.

AAP claims that the villagers' accounts shred the claims of development that Mr Modi, the BJP's candidate for Prime Minister, has centre-pieced in his campaign.

BJP leaders say the  villagers were hand-picked by Mr Kejriwal's party to make false complaints.

Opinion polls predict that the BJP, led by Mr Modi, will emerge as the largest party but will fall short of a majority in the general election that begins on April 7. (World's biggest election: see India's voting schedule here)

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